Reels of the Week -- Ballet, vampires and "Game of Thrones"

More cool stories this week... The "Game of Thrones" cast is doing really well on the casting front. Last week we mentioned Natalie Dormer, and this week we have two other prominent players from the show finding themselves in potential franchises. We also have some ballet and some vampires... a lot going on in cinema these days and that is the way we like it!

Ralph Fiennes choreographing The White Crow


 














Ralph Fiennes is set to direct The White Crow, a Rudolf Nureyev biopic. The film will star Russian dancer Oleg Ivenko and Blue is the Warmest Color's Adele Exarchopoulos. David Hare (Damage, The Hours, The Reader) is writing the screenplay, based on Julie Kavanagh's book "Rudolf Nureyev: The Life". BBC Films is developing the project and production starts this summer. 

Considering the talent and prestige behind The White Crow, the film sounds like an eloquent and elegant piece. From his roles in The English Patient and Sunshine (the 1999 film -- do not mix it up with the identically titled and equally great 2006 science fiction piece) to his recent ones in films such as Coriolanus and The Grand Budapest Hotel, we know that Fiennes has always been an aficionado of literature and history, making him the perfect fit for the director. One of the best ballet dancers in history, Nureyev has certainly had a fascinating life, having not only been gifted and multifaceted in his chosen industry, but also the first Soviet artist that defected during the Cold War. 

I am certainly looking forward to this film. Culture is the reflection of our world and, these days, we should often stop and remember what timeless beauty means and what it brings to the soul.           

Eric Heisserer meets a vampire hunter

                                                                 

After the amazing Arrival, I am convinced that Eric Heisserer can write whatever he wants and make it brilliant. One of his future ventures is the Van Helsing reboot for Universal Studios' monster movie universe. As of right now, Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans), Jon Spaihts (Prometheus), Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci -- the duo behind Star Trek and TV's "Hawaii Five-O" reboot -- are also collaborating on the script. Many versions of the character's story have been following the action/fantasy trajectory, but it appears that Heisserer wants to go for the jugular in every sense of the word. The writer has stated to Collider that he would like to revive the character as simply a super resourceful human, and would also like to bring scares back to the tale.

The idea of a reluctant hero saving the world is a terrific concept, especially for this kind of story, which hinges on the principal character having once been a novice and having had to learn about their destiny. I say 'their', since I am excited by Syfy's version, the first one to feature a female actor as the vampire hunter. It is a good time for me to mention that Tom Cruise was originally set to star as the title character, but abandoned it in favor of The Mummy reboot. Personally, I would rather see someone raw and unexpected in the role. How about someone like Famke Janssen, Gwendoline Christie or Sanaa Lathan? These three ladies deserve great leading film roles, not to mention Janssen's comic book cred with the X-Men series, Christie's badass cred with "Game of Thrones" and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Lathan's formidable fighting spirit as demonstrated in Blade -- vampires on the CV, too! -- and AVP: Alien vs. Predator. Think outside the box, people. It is good for you.

As I mentioned, I will watch anything that Heisserer writes -- I am a huge fan of Kurtzman and Orci as well, for that matter -- and I am hoping for inspired casting. The choice of actor can make or break this film in the eyes of critics and audiences, even if the screen is popping with action and monsters. Syfy has brought the Van Helsing legacy into the 21st century and I hope that Universal continues the trend.          

Iwan Rheon joining "Inhumans" 

 

                                                                     

Playing the dastardly and bastardly Ramsay Bolton on "Game of Thrones", Rheon has created one of the two best TV villains of the past decade -- the other one being everyone's favorite chemistry teacher Walter White, of course. An actor of immense talent, he simultaneously played Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi's couple's shy, lovelorn neighbor in "Vicious". This range has contributed to Rheon getting his new role, that of Maximus -- also known as Maximus the Mad and Maximus the Magnificent -- on ABC's upcoming mutant show "Marvel's Inhumans".

I am not at all familiar with the Inhumans stories. From what I have read, the comic books revolve around a royal family from the city of Attilan and often, as is customary with the superhero universe, involve the Fantastic Four and X-Men in their exploits. Maximus himself is an antisocial, power-hungry son of Attilan's top geneticists:

                                                               

His DNA was altered when he was a baby and he counts superhuman intellect and different psychic powers among his abilities. He is devoted to his family, but also fiercely ambitious. All in all, he is a complex personality that apparently only needs a slight trigger to turn fully homicidal.

While the role seems more layered than the sadistic Ramsay, I certainly hope that Rheon will not end up getting typecast as the villain in Hollywood productions. Fortunately, the actor has enough varied roles in his arsenal to combat the risk and I cannot wait to see him in "Inhumans". The show debuts in IMAX in September, before moving to ABC.     

Alfie Allen battles "The Predator" 

                                                                        

Talk about playing opposites. As the boastful and misguided Theon Greyjoy who falls into Ramsay Bolton's ruthless hands in "Game of Thrones", Alfie Allen has been required to play everything from maniacal to insecure to irretrievably broken. Now he is about to play an ex-marine in the new Predator sequel, which should be an interesting departure from the medieval fantasy.

Nothing is known about the story yet, but what I can report is that Shane Black (Iron Man 3) is directing and that the cast also includes Sterling K. Brown, Yvonne Strahovski and Olivia Munn. Black has shown that he is excellent at directing action and the story of the alien hunter has a lot of potential -- the unfairly underrated AVP: Alien vs. Predator has proved it -- so this might be a solid action/adventure piece. This creature is one of the most original creations in recent decades and I do hope that the film does it justice.  

The most cannot-in-my-wildest-dreams-believe-it moment of the week: Best Picture. Oscars. 'Nuff said. Congratulations to the cast and crew of Moonlight!